


Small ideas; just some one shots

by Echo_star



Category: The Gifted (TV 2017)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-01-23
Updated: 2018-01-23
Packaged: 2019-02-03 06:31:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 3,584
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12742911
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Echo_star/pseuds/Echo_star
Summary: A small collection of random ideas that I can’t forget





	1. Consumed

She’s back. The feeling of relief yet anger inside him so foreign. The feeling is nothing he can compare to; not to Lorna being taken, not to watching his friends go into battle, unsure if they would make it out. 

With Pulse, the pain of loosing him had been a burden he had carried. A heavy weight across his heart, a brother in arms lost in battle. The guilt, gut wrenching as he realised he had left his best friend to be converted by the people who swore they were better than the ‘mutants’. 

That all paled in comparison to Clarice leaving. Still significant, but when she left it was like the sun had disappeared. Her quick wit and endless green eyes always a welcome distraction to the mayhem of war, leaving him to be consumed. 

He had been the reason she had left, had driven her away from his careless handling. 

She was back, he repeated it again and again but it didn’t help. He hadn’t been able to reassure her, not considering how he had left things with Sonya. 

Sonya.... he didn’t want to be torn in two. He cared about her; she had kept him a float after losing Pulse, had given him a reason to keep going. But now, now when he wanted to escape it wasn’t Sonya his thoughts went to. 

It was Clarice with her bright, wacky and utterly beautiful magenta hair. Green eyes which should be unnerving, but were often full of humour. Except for when she cried, her heartache reducing him to a mess of emotions. 

Groaning he sunk his head into his arms. How could life become more complicated than being a mutant and being persecuted like a criminal for minor infractions? His personal life was causing explosions left, right and centre but it still felt like there was so much more to come.


	2. Back again

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Clarice copes with the effects of the day and being back in the HQ

Being back in her cot felt safe. She didn’t feel comfortable, but she was determined to be here. She wanted to save the children like her who had needed a refuge and a place that felt like home. 

She had barely seen anyone since she had arrived, having made her way quickly to her area surprised to find it hadn’t been taken. She had broken down in tears once she was alone. Flashes of memories flowing through her as she recalled the place that had been her home, stained with the blood from her family, because she had lost control of her powers. Had unknowingly led Sentinel Services right to their home. 

The sobs fell from her, her body wrought with grief until the room weighed heavily. She hadn’t forgotten why she had left, the betrayal tarnishing her safety but it’s still preferable to squatting in empty buildings alone and always on guard. 

As her sobs ceased, she realised darkness had fallen. Eyes stinging she left her bed, needing water. She passed rooms full of misplaced people like her. Those who had been caught in the crosshairs of war. 

She felt alone. Had never really had friends, since she wasn’t ever in one place long enough to make any. Who could she turn to here? 

She had thought John was her friend, the betrayal still a sharp sting. Maybe before she would have gone to find him but now she wasn’t sure if she could trust herself with him despite being the only person here who witnessed what she had. 

Lorna is most likely with Marcos and whilst she had found a friend in Marcos, she hadn’t actually spent any time with Lorna. 

Sighing she made her way outside, content to be under stars, feel a little bit more connected with her family, a little less like she was stuck. 

She must have fallen asleep, didn’t remember making her way back inside but none the less had woken to find herself in her bed, sheets tucked around her and a chair in the corner.


	3. Normality

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Clarice wants to see the world. Until she realised just how unforgiving the world can be

Clarices’ life had never been what most would consider normal. 

She had always looked different, an outcast. Her eyes, hair and birthmark making her stand out like the abnormality she was. She had always liked her power though. At first she could move an object to a different part of the room which came in handy when cleaning her room. Later she could jump from room to room. 

At age 12 she used her portals to explore the surrounding area, often going out and laying under the stars and wondering where her mum and dad were. Her foster parents are great but they aren’t HERS. 

At age 15 she was bored. She wanted to see what else was out there. She’s so sure the world exists beyond this house. Had read books and seen some movies with the others. She practiced her portals wanting to leave, just to go have a look; to see if it was worth exploring. 

3 months later she did it. The one place she could picture that wasn’t next to the house, a road which she saw on one of the trips they took to the hills. They had stopped after for a break so she remembered it with clarity. She doesn’t look back, hitching rides in the back of trucks more enamoured with the world the more she saw. 

It’s a month since she had left and she had been trying to find her way back ever since. The first few days had been fun but then she got hungry, no longer being in easy reach of food. The more she tried, the more lost she became. 

Age 17-

It’s been 2 years, her memory fading day by day. She didn’t try to go back, realized the futility of it. Now she tried to live. The world was less accepting of people like her, more so than she had realized. She had applied for a few jobs but as soon as they saw her, she had been ushered out of the door. 

She managed to find work with others like her, small jobs just enough to pay for somewhere to sleep. 

Age 18. 

She watched the normal people at a cafe, there was a normal couple, a guy and girl holding hands laughing. She watched waiting for the cafe people to do the lunch time bin trip, ready to see if anything edible was there. Her stomach ached, a steady pain. She watched the normal couple again to distract herself. The guy was laughing as he leaned in to Kiss the girl, a look of adoration on his face. So utterly captivated with her. 

She couldn’t imagine anyone looking at her like that. Like she was their world and nothing else was important. 

Her stomach grumbles, reminding her of what she’s waiting for. They are late. She watches the people, envious of them being able to pick and choose what they ate.


	4. Tangible pain

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> John supporting Clarice as she cries during their first hug.

He knew the blood was there. Had hoped against all hopes that perhaps it wasn’t from her family. An impractical hope at best, but he didn’t want Clarice to lose the one safe place she had ever had. 

As he witnessed the carnage, processing it she entered the room. Her face fell, paling and his chest tightened as he witnessed her pain. He apologised, wishing he could take that pain, watching as her eyes filled with tears. 

Her pain so tangible he couldn’t ignore it, pulling her to him. Holding her, fighting to suppress the rage as she broke, her pleas spilling from her as her tears soaked her face and his shirt. 

He felt her struggle half heartedly as she cried but he clutched her closer. Not willing to let her drown alone. 

He held her until she fell quiet. She was limp against him, had gone from pushing him away to clutching at his waist with small fist fulls of his shirt. 

She pulled away, stray tears still falling which she swiped away roughly, eyes red rimmed. 

He watched as she gathered herself, her strength making itself known. She stepped away taking one long hard look at what was left of a place which had been home. 

He wanted to protect her, wipe the image from her mind so she wouldn’t be hardened by the casualties from this war. Instead he watched her, ready to support her if need be. She looked at him, a little lost but with defiance on her face as she stalked from the room not looking back.


	5. Heart beats in the night

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He watches as his friends falls, then there’s Clarice

_They march into battle._

_In a formation around him are his friends; his family._

_Marcos is to his left, with Lorna slightly behind, between them. Andy and Lauren Strucker are directly behind him, hands clasped tightly as they brace to attack._

_To his left is Clarice, her small hand interwoven with his. She shouldn’t be in a battle, least of all this one._

_The rest of his friends are spread out behind them, most starting to call on their powers. It’s a last ditch fight, they can’t run._

_Then it begins, sentinel services with their hounds are attacking; humans and hounds against the underground. It’s mayhem. Weapons, powers and fists flying until they start to fall._

_His family. Lorna’s down, shot by adapted weaponry. One by one he sees them fall. He sees Clarice, ready to transport anyone in need. Then she’s down, a great hulking mass standing over her._

_He shouts, focus zeroed in on her form “Clarice-“_

“John, wake up” small hands shaking him and he wakes on a gasp. Clarices concerned face above him, he’s never seen a more welcome sight.

“John, it’s ok, it was just a dream.” Her small hands stroking his face, his arm.

He takes a deep breath, grasping reality before wrapping his arms around his pointy eared girlfriend. He gently tugs her so she’s laying beside him, secured safely in his arms.

Clarices eyes are wide as she looks up at him, but he can’t bring himself to mention the dream, still riding the fear of seeing her down. Of seeing his family fall around him whilst he is left standing.

John can see she’s about to ask again, knows she’s trying to help but he just isn’t ready to discuss this particular dream.

“Shh, I’m okay. Just a bad dream. I’ll tell you in the morning, if you want” he says, placing a gentle kiss to her forehead.

Her iridescent green eyes are still scrunched with concern, but she nods, whispering her acceptance before securing herself to him.

Her head resting lightly on his chest, her arms tight around him. John pressed a soft kiss to her hair, before laying back, closing his eyes and counting the steady beat of her heart as she falls asleep.

He drifts asleep eventually, many heartbeats later.

 

 


	6. The missing piece of my heart

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> John and Lorna go interstate and Clarice falls apart as soon as he leaves.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Omg I feel like I killed John lol but I just couldn’t do it no matter how OC this is lol :)

Clarice watched them drive away, watched the car shrink in size until they disapeared around the bend, gone from her sight.

She continued standing there, despite knowing they wouldn’t be back for 2 weeks, travelling to help other sectors of the underground recover after recent attacks.

Turning, she walks back inside, absentmindedly smiling as she passes people. Knowing she needs to hold it together to not freak anyone out.

In her; their room, she spins slowly. He might be gone, but she sees him everywhere. His clothes neatly folded on the shelf. The one picture of them, on the table where she’s laughing at something he had said with him looking down at her. A small smirk on his face, and it’s impossible to miss how much he loves her, and she him.

She sees him on the bed, where they had laid intertwined this morning clinging tightly to each other. Where they had gotten carried away this morning by the door as they said a private goodbye.

Feeling their memories overcome her, she lets the tears fall. At first it’s a stray tear before turning into a river, her face quickly becoming damp. Hugging her arms tightly around herself, she can’t stop the sobs that wrack her body as she lets herself collapse to the floor, clutching a shirt that smells like him.

She feels so alone, like a part of her is missing. A piece of her heart she hadn’t realised she had given away.

She had never had someone she had cared for like this and now he was gone, and in their life there was never a guarantee that he would come home.

As the thought of Johns death crosses her mind, her heart falls in her chest. She feels ashamed but she wants him to come back. The mission is important, but he’s important too and he would never hesitate to throw himself in the way of danger if it meant saving someone else.

There’s a noise by the door, and Clarice realises she hadn’t closed it.

Marcos appears in the doorway. seeing Clarice on the floor crying he quickly makes his way to her, checking to make sure she isn’t hurt, John would have his head if he let anything happen to her.

“Dios Mios, what’s wrong?” He asks tentatively reaching out to rub her shoulder.

As she lets out another loud sob, he sees she’s clutching a shirt tightly in her lap. It’s one of Johns. The reason for her tears is obvious.

He gently nudged her, “Hey they will be back soon. I promise, this is just a routine run for them.” Marcos leaned over to hug her, surprised when she leaned into him. She’s his friend, and one of Lorna’s best friends and seeing her cry isn’t okay.

They sit like that for awhile, he loses track of the time until her tears stop staining his shirt and her sobs quieten to the odd sniffle.

When Clarice pulls back, she feels embarrassment wash over her. They have been together for 6 months, but it feels so much longer. This is the first time he’s left for longer than a few days without her.

Roughly rubbing her eyes she gestures to Marcoss’ shirt “Sorry about that.”

Marcos smiles “Naw, don’t worry about it. This shirt has been through worse from Aurora.”

Wrinkling her nose at the thought, a wry smile making its way to her face “Thank you” she whispered, her voice hoarse. “I didn’t think it would be this hard watching them leave.”

Marcos got up from the floor stretching, throwing Clarice a smile as he made his way to the door “You should have seen me the first time Lorna left, I ate a pint of ice cream in one sitting. The first time is always the hardest. They work well together, balance each other out and they both have a reason to come home.”

Clarice tried to smile, it came out more like a grimace but Marcos took it. “If your up for it later, come keep me and Aurora company. You always bring a smile to her face, and Hopefully it will ease Lorna being gone.

Clarice responded that she would and when Marcos left she closed her eyes, preying to a deity she wasn’t sure she believed in that they would make it back.

 


	7. She sees him

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A tiny Drabble, just a random thought

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Um I think the last episode killed me, like no... 
> 
> Anyway just a Drabble

She sees him. All of him, not just the parts he shows to everyone else. She sees him, imperfections and all.

She sees him when the news of another sentinel service attack hits home. Watches as he unleashes his frustration and anger in the forest; tree trunks flying, boulders shifting.

She watches as he takes the fate of the underground on his shoulders, when the leader falls apart at night under the strain.

She’s there when he can’t get passed his guilt of surviving when someone else has fallen. She holds him, reminds him he’s only human.

  
He knows she watches him, he also knows that she sees him. _John Proudstar_ , not the leader of the underground, the problem solver or Thunderbird, but the man who has spent his life fighting for his cause. He knows he can let down his guard around her. He sees her, and she’s the light to his dark.


	8. Chapter 8

“They don’t fit” Clarice sighed sitting amongst the pile of clothes. The room looks like a tornado hit it with draws half open and clothes hanging out. Shirts and pants litter the floor along with the few jackets she owns. 

Her favorite jeans wont button up and her shirts border on indecency. Her jackets are fine. If she doesn’t want to, you know wear them to keep warm. 

Glaring to the side where John is sitting having tried to calm her down, before realizing this was not a moment she would calm down from. 

“It’s all your fault.” She grumbles without malice, her hand dropping to the bump stopping her from having anything comfortable to wear. 

Realizing the worst has passed, John grinned moving to wrap his arms around Clarice. “If I remember correctly you weren’t objecting” he teased as he let his hand settle over hers, fingers interlocked. His large hand encompasses hers over the now prominent ridge of her stomach. 

“That’s irrelevant,” she said nudging him “doesn’t change I still can’t fit into any of my clothes.” 

John moved behind her, letting Clarice lean back to rest against him. Her back has been sore lately so it’s a relief to have a moment to relax.

“Hey, we will figure this out” he said pressing a kiss to her cheek. “For now you have the clothes which mysteriously disappeared from my drawers into yours.” 

Grinning she wrapped his arms tighter around her, the feeling of comfort and security always made any issue, no matter how big or small feel nonexistent. 

“I can’t help that they’re comfortable. And they fit better.” 

“I’m not complaining....Just, stating a fact.”

Clarice wrinkles her nose as she takes in the state of the room. The issue which had seemed so pressing now felt silly. 

“I’m a mess” she laughed, settling back further into John. 

He closed his eyes, holding the woman he loves as he countered “you’re a miracle.” 

It takes them awhile before they peel themselves off the floor, even longer before the room looks like normal. Less the clothes John discretely packs away, replaced with clothes meant for moms to be. He finds some extra clothes for himself, he knows that he’s still missing his favorite jumper. But he can’t seem to make himself care, not when he sees Clarice wrapped up in it, her face lit up as she teaches some of the younger mutants to harness their gifts.


	9. Chapter 9

She watched the building, waiting. He is in there, saving people and she’s standing out here useless because he asked her, begged her to stay here. 

Her breathe hitches as a large crash echoes from the building, the flames leaping higher as they overcome a new room. The dark smoke pours from the building, the smell and taste overpowering but she won’t leave. She can’t, not while he’s inside. 

As the smoke makes her eyes water, she rubs harshly at them. If only they had been an hour earlier none of this would have happened. 

They heard it on the radio, sentinel services have identified a mutant, a young girl who caused a small fire damaging public property. With sentinel services enroute they had to hurry. 

They found the apartment building as sage filled them in or details which trickled in from eyewitness reports of a dangerous mutant who partially destroyed a soccer field. No injuries apart from the grass but with many angry spectators ranting about strange eyes and hair color. Entirely unprovoked.

Translation; a young mutant loses control of their powers after being bullied. Because that’s a new story.

They got there too late, a sentinel service car out front. They found a back way in and they reached the second floor before all hell broke loose. As an explosion rocked the building, screams echoed throughout. They were going to continue up, when a family stumbled down the stairs. The mother was holding a small child who lay still in her arms, with another child standing beside her with blood slowly dripping down his face. John picked the boy up carrying him outside whilst Clarice helped the mum who was clearly in shock.

Which brings her here, waiting for him. The roar of the fire drowns out any other noise. 

Her heart pauses as she sees movement before restarting as frenetic speed as John ran towards her, a small girl cradled in his arms. As other noises penetrate her focus, the sounds of sirens can be heard growing steadily louder. Not thinking Clarice quickly created a portal to the car down the street. The urge to check John and make sure he is ok is strong but she suppressed it as she follows them through the portal. 

When she’s through Johns shutting the door where the girl lies across the seat before climbing into the drivers seat.

“Is she ok? Does she need anything?” She’s proud she remains steady, none of her anxiety leaking out. 

As John relays the details, she finds out the girl is fine. Unconscious but fine. Glancing back at the girl, she looks her over quickly. She’s so small and she’s glad she’s safe here, that they reached her before sentinel services did. 

Unable to hold back any longer she lets her eyes search John for any injuries. There’s patches of clothing missing, the edges singed but there’s no blood. 

When he reaches for her hand she holds his tightly, squeezes back as his hand holds hers.


End file.
